Published December 2017: The Messenger
At Daystar, it’s the ‘most busiest time of the year’
Article Excerpt:
What began as an effort to provide Christmas gifts for needy families by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ 40 years ago has evolved from a pile of presents in a convent basement to Santa’s Workshop at the thrift store of Daystar in Cairo.
Each December, Director Sherry Miller, with the help of her staff and diocesan parish volunteers, clears out the thrift shop and turns it into a winter wonderland for families to choose gifts for their children.
“Each person in the household gets a gift as well as items such as underwear, socks, hats, and books,” said Miller. “Then, we provide them with a food box to help with their holiday meals.”
The Daystar Community Program in Cairo, an agency of the Diocese of Belleville, serves eight counties in Illinois throughout the year, providing assistance to families in need.
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Shannon Philpott-Sanders 